Turmoil continues in Cong as several MLAs threaten to resign

By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 12 Apr: First a dismal performance in the Uttarakhand Assembly elections and then the recent appointments on the important posts of PCC Chief, Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Leader of the Congress Legislative Party have brought to the fore disappointment of the cadre as well as the leaders with these decisions of the Party High Command.
It may be recalled that former Ranikhet MLA Karan Mahra has been appointed the new PCC Chief. Although, he has taken over and even held a meeting with his political mentor, Harish Rawat, and today even participated in a dharna staged by the party along with Harish Rawat, there does not seem to be any serious effort so far on his part to placate those who are angry.
Meanwhile, sources within the party have claimed that several party MLAs and other senior leaders have threatened to resign from the party. One of such factions is led by Dharchula MLA Harish Dhami, who is considered quite close to veteran Party leader Harish Rawat but is also known to have his own mind on actions within the party.
On the other hand, the newly appointed Leader of the Opposition, Yashpal Arya, seems to be working hard to bring things under control. Today, he called on his predecessor as the Leader of the Opposition, Pritam Singh, at his residence in Dehradun after reaching the capital from Haldwani this morning.
Sources however claimed that Arya had to wait before he could meet Pritam Singh at his residence. Though Arya is a very senior party leader who has been continuously winning elections and has held important posts such as that of Speaker as well as PCC Chief in the Congress, one grudge against him of the party leaders is that, only months ago, he returned to the Congress after serving almost five years as a cabinet minister in the previous BJP Government. In appointing him, the party has ignored claims of senior and more “loyal” leaders such as Pritam Singh and Tilak Raj Behad. In addition to meeting Pritam Singh, this evening Arya also met Harish Rawat, former PCC Chief Ganesh Godiyal and the new PCC Chief Karan Mahra.
Party insiders further claimed that while Harish Rawat managed to get his own protégé Karan Mahra appointed as the new PCC Chief, he is still trying to put pressure on the Party High Command by seeming to be not very happy with the new appointments.
Sources also claimed that although around six to seven party MLAs have threatened to resign, the real number of those serious about resigning is likely to be just three. Even this would further rock the already sinking boat of the party in Uttarakhand, they conceded.